Bubba's SPS Journey

[bubbaque]

I plan on using a 4 bulb fixture, and I want blue but not overly blue. so I'm thinking maybe three blue plus and one Coral Plus

Thank you [emoji106]

That sounds perfect!

 

[CoralWealth]

that is all great info on the PH increase, I am looking forward to installing my C02 scrubber on Tuesday as my PH never gets above 7.9.

 

[justingraham]

Good input @BigJohnny. What is your ph at and the total swing with the scrubber? How about you @bubbaque? You guys are making a strong case! I have an HRV (Heat Retention Vent) in the house bringing in fresh air, skimmer running only for air infusion with outside air line, and a refugium. My ph goes from 7.9 (night) - 8.2 (day), without a scrubber currently.

I have found if u can get it to 8.3 low and 8.5 high ur Corals get bigger daily just my observation
I was consuming roughly 1 dkh a day then when I went to the 8.5 ph it was closer to 1.5 dkh a day it was more of a struggle to keep it that high constantly and expensive so I set my apex to keep it in the 7.9-8.3 range it has def helped with coral growth and have extended the Co2 media life

 

[RichtheReefer21]

I come here for the pics... ur slacking.

 

[bubbaque]

A little efflo update.

BC efflo 2.0 has nice tips but the body is lacking a little color.

Greg C ultimate efflo. I placed this in the worst place possible. When I placed it the other corals weren't so grown out but now they are in a constant fight and the efflo has been killing the others back. I am hoping it will table out over the edge of that rock there.

 

[justingraham]

They both look happy

 

[WWIII]

Hey @bubbaque , what calcium reactor do you use? Do you like it? What's that setup like.

Corals look amazing! That Greg Carroll efflo isn't easy to get to look that good! Nice job

 

[SneakyTortuga]

A little efflo update.

BC efflo 2.0 has nice tips but the body is lacking a little color.

Greg C ultimate efflo. I placed this in the worst place possible. When I placed it the other corals weren't so grown out but now they are in a constant fight and the efflo has been killing the others back. I am hoping it will table out over the edge of that rock there.

I went to wwc on Friday trying to pick up a efflo but they didn’t have any frags. Which do you prefer the Greg c or be?

 

[bubbaque]

Hey @bubbaque , what calcium reactor do you use? Do you like it? What's that setup like.

Corals look amazing! That Greg Carroll efflo isn't easy to get to look that good! Nice job

I use a reef octopus calcium reactor along with a master flex pump. When I first got it I didn’t like it much as my flow rate would keep slowing down, even when I had the effluent wide open. I gave in and bought the master flex pump and things are very, very stable now.

If you were going to go with a calcium reactor I feel you need a good dosing pump along with a good regulator. If you don’t you will more than likely have to check effluent often. I haven’t had to touch my effluent in 9 months. All I do now is turn the little knob on the regulator to allow more co2 if alk is dropping.


This is my calcium reactor. https://www.aquacave.com/reef-octop...r-5-5-dual-chamber-with-pump-by-coralvue.html

I went to wwc on Friday trying to pick up a efflo but they didn’t have any frags. Which do you prefer the Greg c or be?

I honestly don’t care for the BC one. I really dig the Greg C one and its tips are a lot more blue in person than that pic shows. I was kind of bummed I couldn’t get the blue to show up.

 

[WWIII]

I use a reef octopus calcium reactor along with a master flex pump. When I first got it I didn’t like it much as my flow rate would keep slowing down, even when I had the effluent wide open. I gave in and bought the master flex pump and things are very, very stable now.

If you were going to go with a calcium reactor I feel you need a good dosing pump along with a good regulator. If you don’t you will more than likely have to check effluent often. I haven’t had to touch my effluent in 9 months. All I do now is turn the little knob on the regulator to allow more co2 if alk is dropping.


This is my calcium reactor. https://www.aquacave.com/reef-octop...r-5-5-dual-chamber-with-pump-by-coralvue.html

I honestly don’t care for the BC one. I really dig the Greg C one and its tips are a lot more blue in person than that pic shows. I was kind of bummed I couldn’t get the blue to show up.

I'm setting up another system and thinking to to calcium reactor from the beginning. I may eventually tie my main display into the system as well, but for now a 60 gallon frag tank and a 150 gallon rubbermaid. Figure if I'm gonna go calcium reactor it would be nice to set it up from the beginning, even if the tank doesn't really need it, so I can have the growing pains without killing anything. Lol.

I appreciate it bubba! I'm looking at the new kamoer pump. Not sure about the rest yet. If I see a good deal this black Friday I might grab one, but if not I have time.

Calcium reactor seems to be a common component on successful acro setups. Not that it can't be done just dosing, but looking around at the successful hobbyist and professionals, a calcium reactor is often there.

 

[bubbaque]

I'm setting up another system and thinking to to calcium reactor from the beginning. I may eventually tie my main display into the system as well, but for now a 60 gallon frag tank and a 150 gallon rubbermaid. Figure if I'm gonna go calcium reactor it would be nice to set it up from the beginning, even if the tank doesn't really need it, so I can have the growing pains without killing anything. Lol.

I appreciate it bubba! I'm looking at the new kamoer pump. Not sure about the rest yet. If I see a good deal this black Friday I might grab one, but if not I have time.

Calcium reactor seems to be a common component on successful acro setups. Not that it can't be done just dosing, but looking around at the successful hobbyist and professionals, a calcium reactor is often there.

I do see a lot of successful reefers with calcium reactors and it's partially why I went with one as well. The thought of melting actual coral skeletons and having it release back into the tank whatever they used to build it was always kind of neat. I also know there are successful reefers with dosing pumps also as I believe Vivid aquariums strictly uses them on all their tanks.

I seen a lot of good things about the Kamoer pump. The only negative I seen was D2mini got his wet and it stopped working. If it was released when I bought my Master flex I probably would of went with that instead as it's half the cost.

 

[lolgranny]

I use a reef octopus calcium reactor along with a master flex pump. When I first got it I didn’t like it much as my flow rate would keep slowing down, even when I had the effluent wide open. I gave in and bought the master flex pump and things are very, very stable now.

Are you using this to feed your ca reactor? How did you figure out the output levels to match it? I know most just use a manifold on their tanks. I’ve been using gravity for mine, but I feel it’s time for a pump to feed it.

 

[lolgranny]

A little efflo update.

BC efflo 2.0 has nice tips but the body is lacking a little color.

Greg C ultimate efflo. I placed this in the worst place possible. When I placed it the other corals weren't so grown out but now they are in a constant fight and the efflo has been killing the others back. I am hoping it will table out over the edge of that rock there.

Definitely terrible placement lol. It does look great there tho. Hopefully it just tosses a arm out then does its thing otherwise you’re in for moving some pieces.

 

[bubbaque]

Are you using this to feed your ca reactor? How did you figure out the output levels to match it? I know most just use a manifold on their tanks. I’ve been using gravity for mine, but I feel it’s time for a pump to feed it.

Yes I am using the Master flex peristaltic pump to feed the reactor. I use to feed the calcium reactor off my manifold but I was having to adjust my effluent once or twice a week.

For the effluent flow rate I searched around on google to see what others were using and started from there. At first you test daily and just see if your alk is dropping or rising and adjust your flow and co2 from there.

 

[happyhourhero]

Bubba what params do you shoot for? Don’t have to get too detailed.

 

[lolgranny]

Bubba what params do you shoot for? Don’t have to get too detailed.

Without getting too detailed I can answer this one.

He shoots for stable ones

[emoji16]

 

[lolgranny]

Yes I am using the Master flex peristaltic pump to feed the reactor. I use to feed the calcium reactor off my manifold but I was having to adjust my effluent once or twice a week.

For the effluent flow rate I searched around on google to see what others were using and started from there. At first you test daily and just see if your alk is dropping or rising and adjust your flow and co2 from there.

Are you adjusting the flow from the pump or the actual reactor when you need to? I’ll just pm you rather then blowing your thread up over this lol.

 

[happyhourhero]

Without getting too detailed I can answer this one.

He shoots for stable ones

[emoji16]

Thanks

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Bubba I just flew through some of ur frag pics... with my girl.

She wants me to start an sps tank now. I told her I'm not crazy enough to try it... yet.

 

[SneakyTortuga]

Are you adjusting the flow from the pump or the actual reactor when you need to? I’ll just pm you rather then blowing your thread up over this lol.

As for the kamor pump.... I’ve been running one for 2 months now after bubbas recommendations and I gotta say I’m quite happy with it.

I set it the first day and have not had to touch it since. It’s actually the only way I would run a carx now